MTN Zambia, the leading telecommunications service provider and BongoHive, Lusaka Technology and Innovation Hub are hosting the first ever Telecom Application Developer Hackathon (TADHack) Zambia this October 14th – 16th 2016.

TADHack the largest telecom focused hackathon in the world and was started in 2013 as a way of providing a platform for telecommunication application developers is held in different countries. The aim TADHack global has been to bring together application developers, non-coders and business houses interested in using telecommunication applications and services in their business processes.

MTN Zambia is the only other operation in MTN Group apart from MTN South Africa to host the prestigious Hackathon. The event will be held on 14 to 16 October at Maanu House which is MTN Zambia Head Office. This is a demonstration of MTN Zambia’s drive to steer communication in the bold new digital world. MTN Zambia has been in a partnership with BongoHive of promoting app development since January 2016 as an avenue to tap into local talent and promote entrepreneurship. MTN Zambia has provided free internet and training in systems for the BongoHive members.

TADHack Zambia will consist of two categories, the “Hackathon” and the “Showcase”. The Hackathon will look at products for new ideas or answers to a sponsors challenge. Developers can work on ideas before the event, or generate ideas during the event from all the great networking opportunities.

This category is for products that have already been released commercially or have had significant development. Participants entering the showcase category will equally have a chance to win part of the prize pot and get MTN Zambia recognition. Product themes are given for guidance from the global sponsors on particular areas of interest for those developers looking for direction:

1. Application to person (A2P) on messaging platforms: Hacks on platforms such as Slack, or Matrix, or Facebook Messenger, or any other IP messaging platform.

2. BOTs are software programs on communication platforms: BOTs have been theme of TADHack since its inception, as well as becoming quite fashionable. Hacks like Guber Conference from TADHack Chicago have become commercial services.

3. Internet of Things: From dancing robots to an irrigation hack from Sri Lanka that has gone commercial. IoT remains a theme at TADHack, with a focus on getting those ideas to market.

4. Network Function Virtualization and the Dangerous Demo.

5. Artificial Intelligence. AI has become a part of many hacks created at TADHack in 2015 and 2016. TADHack is where bleeding-edge technologies become real practical solutions to everyday problems.

6. Open Source contributions. Some hacks focus on using the weekend to make contributions to open source projects. Focused on the global sponsor’s open source projects of course.

However, participants are encouraged to develop apps that will be judged based on the following criteria: